Chapter 41: A Chance Encounter by the Road

  "Is my gaze strange?" Chu Tian Shu was stared at by Ning Xi until he felt embarrassed, and he shifted his gaze to Ma Li and others beside him. "Oh, maybe I'm still in a state of shock. If it weren't for you, I'd have been detained first, then detained again, and finally sent to a labor camp?"

  "Haha, you're really funny, you're being too serious. Did something stimulate you inside?"

  "No. I just wonder how those few came running again?"

  "They heard that I was bullied outside and secretly ran over. How about it? Can I join in the fight next time?"

  "Stop it! Didn't your mom tell you not to fight with others?"

  "Haha, you're my boyfriend now, how can I just stand by and do nothing when you get into a fight?"

  "Haha, you made it up yourself and actually believed it?"

  Ning Xin pouted: "Hey, from your tone, it seems like being my boyfriend is a bit of a hardship."

  "Alright, alright, I'm quite honored, can we stop now?"

  "Hum, too fake, completely cheating me, right?"

  "It seems you're not only beautiful but also clever."

  Ning Xin smiled and said: "Then why are you still unwilling to let me be your girlfriend?"

  "I'm telling you, Princess Ning, how can you still not be satisfied?" Chu Tian Shu helplessly smiled and pointed at Ma Li and the others, saying: "Can't you spare me? I want to be your boyfriend, or else they'll devour me!"

  "Hmph, they dare?" Ning Xin's face lifted, and she became complacent.

  Xiao Qiang saw it and asked loudly: "Hey, Princess Ning, what are you two whispering about?"

  Ma Li also walked over and said: "Princess, go back, if you're late, you'll really get spanked."

  How interesting!

  Ning Xin proudly introduced her friends to Chu Tian Shu, they were all from the military compound's big yard, Ma Li, Xiao Qiang, Tie Dan and Di Lei.

  Ma Li is a fierce soldier, the chief of staff of Qingyuan Military Sub-district, and has already become a lieutenant colonel at a young age. Xiao Qiang's head is slightly smaller, he is the youngest son of the deputy chief of staff of the military sub-district. Tie Dan and Di Lei also come from military families.

  "That's all, let's go, I'll send you back, or your mom will be worried."

  Ma Li said: "Lao Wei, Princess Ning has been handed over to us, aren't you at ease yet?"

  "Wei Shijie said: "How is that possible? Ma Ge, Ning Gongzhu was taken from his mother's hands by me, I don't have to be responsible for returning her back."

  Ma Li said: "Alright, anyway we can't fit in anymore. Xiao Qiang, take them a few to hail a taxi back, I'll take Lao Wei and Princess Ning away."

  Xiao Qiang responded with a "yeah", and smiled at Chu Tian Shu, then stood by the side of the road with several others to wait for the bus.

  Ning Xin secretly made a ghostly face at Chu Tian Shu and followed Wei Shi Jie to the horse carriage.

  Ma Li and Chu Tian Shu shook hands to bid farewell, lowering his voice said: "Chu brother, don't make Ning Gong Zhu unhappy, otherwise, I won't recognize you as a friend."

  Chu Tian Shu nodded and waved goodbye to Ning Xin and others.

  The Hummer sped away, leaving a cloud of dust behind.

  Chu Tian Shu smiled slightly and shook his head, walking alone on the bustling street filled with bright lights.

  After all this commotion, it was already midnight before I knew it.

  Standing on the roadside, planning to hail a taxi, but after waiting for a while, I didn't even see a single taxi.

  Taxis are usually as common as hairs on a cow, but now they're nowhere to be seen? Chu Tian Shu found it very strange. He looked around and saw many recreational venues nearby, with rows of taxis parked in front of almost every shop entrance.

  One after another, well-dressed guests and heavily made-up women came out from inside, either separately or together, got into taxis and sped away.

  Chu Tian Shu finally understood that at this point, the nightlife was nearing its end, and the business at the entrance of the leisure store was booming, so taxi drivers were naturally unwilling to cruise around on the streets.

  Chu Tian Shu didn't have the nerve to join in with those men and women, so he looked around and saw a foot massage parlor not far away with a car parked outside. He walked over and waved his hand, but found that there was no one inside the car.

  He looked around, patted the car body and shouted: "Master, let's go!"

  A woman dressed like a seductress came out of the foot massage parlor, gave Chu Tian Shu two flirtatious glances and said with a sly smile: "Wukong, stop taking pictures, Master is having a massage inside. Do you want to come in and have some fun together?"

  Chu Tian Shu almost burst out laughing when he heard this. In these times, even his mother, the demoness, dared to make jokes with Big Brother Master.

  Seeing Chu Tian Shu shake his head, the old demon with a lot of powder on her face was very disappointed. She twisted her big butt and slipped back into the store.

  Waited by the car for a while, and the master still didn't come out, probably enjoying himself.

  "My goodness, this is near the police station. Chu Tian Shu shook his head with a wry smile, no wonder there was only one car, it turned out that the driver wasn't waiting for passengers, but was here to look for a demon to have fun."

  Helpless, Chu Tian Shu could only head towards the main road's intersection.

  Just a few steps away, a faint scent of fragrance suddenly hit his nose, Chu Tian Shu swallowed hard and didn't turn around, but used the corner of his eye to sneak a peek.

  The light was dim and it wasn't easy to see clearly, but judging from her dress, it wasn't the old witch from just now, but a more charming little demon.

  Chu Tian Shu didn't dare to linger any longer, afraid that the little demon would entangle Da Shixiong again, and couldn't help but quicken his pace.

  However, the little demon behind was relentless in pursuit.

  My goodness! Am I really so unlucky that this little demon has taken a liking to me?

  Chu Tian Shu's blood suddenly surged, her heart floated and she felt restless, somewhat at a loss.

  "Hey, wait a minute..." The little demon, wearing high heels, couldn't keep up with Chu Tian Shu's pace and actually spoke up.

  Chu Tian Shu was stunned, his foot that had stepped forward retreated back, pondering the voice of this little demon spirit sounded familiar.

  Just as he was hesitating, the little demon had already caught up behind him and said: "Sir, sorry to trouble you, may I borrow some fire?"

  The voice was extremely soft and gentle, making Chu Tian's scalp feel numb. This was in the middle of the night, a little demoness asking a strange man for a light, this excuse for hitting on someone was a bit too much.

  Chu Tian Shu pretended to be calm and turned around to say: "I don't smoke, no fire."

  "Ah, it's really you!" The little demon exclaimed excitedly and grabbed Chu Tian Shu's arm.

  Chu Tian Shu was startled and quickly shook off the little demon's hand.

  "Brother Chu, it's Xiaomin." The little demon hugged Chu Tian Shu's arm again.

  Who? Chu Tian Shu stared at the little demon.

  "Xiao Min, I am Zheng Xiao Min."

  If it weren't for the name tag, Chu Tian Shu really wouldn't have believed that the heavily made-up woman standing in front of her, with a face painted like a seductress, was actually Zheng Xiao Min from the front desk.

  "Xiao Min? How could it be you?" Chu Tian Shu asked in surprise.

  "Chu Gege, it's so late, why are you still here?" Zheng Xiaomin was even more surprised.

  In order not to cause misunderstanding from Zheng Xiaomin, Chu Tian Shu pointed at the nearby police station and said: "I just came out of there."

  Ah? Zheng Xiaomin covered her small mouth in surprise.

  Chu Tian Shu's words had just come out when he realized that the more he explained, the more chaotic it became. Running to the police station in the middle of the night couldn't be a good thing, and he must have been caught red-handed. His face grew hot, and he hastily added another sentence: "There really are few taxis here."

  It seems like I'm saying, I didn't come here to find a fairy, I'm waiting for a bus.

  Seeing Zheng Xiaomin's skeptical expression, Chu Tian Shu had to continue explaining: "My classmate and I went out for a drink, encountered some bad people bullying a girl, I drew my knife to help her and fought with them, and ended up getting caught."

  Zheng Xiaomin smiled faintly after hearing Chu Tian Shu's words and said with relief, "Yeah, I knew it. Brother Chu isn't that kind of person."

  Chu Tian Shu felt a bit puzzled and asked: "Hey, Xiao Min, it's so late, why are you here again?"

  Just now Zheng Xiaomin was still smiling and laughing, but suddenly she lowered her head and fell silent.

  Chu Tian Shu said: "Xiao Min, it's the middle of the night and you're out here alone, it's too dangerous. Come on, I'll walk you home."

  The two people walked forward several steps.

  Suddenly, Zheng Xiaomin stopped.

  "What's wrong?" Chu Tian Shu also stopped in his tracks and asked with concern.

  "Brother Chu, you go back first, I... still have something to do."

  Chu Tian Shu got a bit angry: "No way, if there's something to do, we'll do it tomorrow. A girl like you shouldn't be out so late, your mom must be worried."

  Zheng Xiaomin slowly raised her head, with tears welling up in her eyes.

  Chu Tian Shu suddenly remembered that her mother was still in the hospital and hurriedly comforted her, saying: "Xiao Min, don't worry, your mom's illness will get better."

  Zheng Xiaomin's tears could no longer be held back, and they flowed down in streams.

  Chu Tian Shu said: "Xiao Min, don't cry. If there's anything troubling you, speak up and I'll definitely think of a way to help you."

  Zheng Xiaomin couldn't hold back her tears anymore, she rushed into Chu Tian Shu's arms and burst out crying loudly.

  A man and a woman were passing by, saw this scene, stopped, and pointed from a distance.

  After Zheng Xiaomin had vented her emotions thoroughly, Chu Tian Shu helped her to the chair by the roadside and they sat down shoulder to shoulder.

  Under Chu Tian Shu's repeated questioning, Zheng Xiao Min intermittently recounted the reasons for her heartbreak.

  She had used Tian Keming to hit the hospital's 30,000 yuan for her mother, after the first surgery, but found that she also suffered from acute suppurative cholecystitis. If not treated promptly, life was in danger, but her family could no longer afford the surgical costs of over 100,000 yuan.

  Zheng Xiaomin's parents were both laid-off workers from the Qingyuan Instrument Factory, and the family relied on Zheng Xiaomin's husband running a meat stall to make a living, with an income of only around 2,000 yuan per month. Zheng Xiaomin had scored high enough in the college entrance exam to attend a third-tier university, but gave up due to being unable to afford the high tuition fees and instead took a job as a front desk attendant at the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission.

  Zheng Xiaomin's mother has been hospitalized in the Municipal People's Hospital for almost two months, and the initial treatment costs have already exhausted this not-so-affluent family, leaving them with no money to spare.

  The first surgery used up the 30,000 yuan that Tian Keming sent over and also accumulated nearly 10,000 yuan in hospitalization fees and conservative treatment costs. The hospital issued an ultimatum last night, stating that if the owed money is not paid by next Monday, they will be forced to discharge her from the hospital.

  The Zheng family had given up hope of affording the 100,000 yuan surgery fee, but in order to come up with a way to pay off the 10,000 yuan debt for his mother's treatment, Zheng Xiaomin thought of selling her body. She wanted to use her own virginity to help her mother raise enough money for the initial conservative treatment to maintain her condition and prevent it from deteriorating immediately.

  Having made up her mind, Zheng Xiaomin would sneak out tonight without telling her father and head to a nearby high-end entertainment venue to find a buyer.